Rolling ruler.



No. 758,796. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

R. H. SWINERTON.

ROLLING RULER.

APPLICATION nun MAY 4, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wi (Hm-3888.3 jny'enioi".

UNITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

ROLLING RULER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,796, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed May 4,1903. Serial No. 155,625- (No model.)

To (LU whom it warty concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HEMINGTON SWINERTON, of the city of Victoria, Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rolling Rulers, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My invention relates to rulers in which a straight-edge is carried by a roller, so that while the ruler as a whole is moved by rolling, the edge against which the pen works does not rotate.

My object is to construct such a ruler in the simplest and cheapest possible manner and in such a manner that it may be used either asa raised or fiat ruler.

With this object in view my invention consists, essentially, of a cylindrical roller with which is combined a bar bent to form a straightedge and short journals having bearings in the ends of the roller, the journals and straightedge being connected by arms integral therewith and bent to lie outside of the plane of the journals and the straight-edge, substantially as hereinafter more specifically described and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ruler, showing the straight-edge in its raised position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the straightedge in a flat position. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the ruler. Fig. 4is a perspective detail of the straight-edge and the parts integral therewith.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 9., and 3, A is a round ruler of a suitable length, and B a metal bar shaped to form a straight-edge C, journals D, and connecting-arms E, all formed integral with one another. This bar is better shown in Fig. 4.. ()n reference particularly to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the arms E, connecting the straight-edge with the journals, are bent out of the plane of the straight-edge and the journals, the said plane being indicated by a substantially horizontal dotted line in Fig. 3. The result of this construction is that when the ruler is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the straight-edge is raised above the level of the paper, as is usually required for ruling with an ordinary writing-pen. At the same time the ruler may be reversed, as shown in Fig. 2, to bring the straight-edge close down on the paper, as is frequently desirable when ruling with a drawing-pen or a pencil. In either case, as the straight-edge does not rotate, any ink which may get upon it is not smeared upon the lingers or paper, as islikely to be the case with the ordinary round ruler.

The advantages of my particular construction are obvious. The only partadded to the ruler is a simple piece or rod of stout wire bent to form the various parts. This means that my ruler may be constructed very cheaply, and being very simple there are no parts likely to get out of order. It will be seen, too, that an exceedingly simple construction provides all the advantages of a raised ruler and flat ruler combined, adapting the instrument to very general use.

l/Vhile I show the bar round in cross-section, it will of course be understood that any other shape'flat, square, or triangular might be adopted and that, if desired, a suitable scale might be marked on the straight-edge, such, of course, forming no part of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a ruler, a roller in combination with a rod comprising a straight-edge, the ends of the said rod being bent to form arms and turned to form journals projecting into the end of the said roller, substantially as described.

2. In a ruler a roller in combination with a bar comprising a portion shaped to form a straight edge; journals integral therewith having hearings in the ends of theroller; and arms connecting the journals and the straightedge, the arms projecting out of the plane of the straight-edge and journals, substantially as described.

3. In a ruler, a roller in combination with a bar comprising a portion shaped to form a the paper when said bends rest upon the same, straight-edge, the ends of said bar being bent substantially as described.

to form arms and journals, said journals hav- Victoria, British Columbia, April 23, 1903. I 0 ing bearings in the ends of the roller, and said ROBERT HEMINGTON SWINERTON. 5 arms being projected out of the plane in which In presence of the straight-edge and journals lie forming J. H. JOHNSTON, bends holding the straight-edge away from WM. DUCK. 

